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UAB Blazers men's soccer

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UAB Blazers men's soccer
Founded1979; 45 years ago (1979)
UniversityUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Head coachDavid Lilly (1st season)
ConferenceThe American
LocationBirmingham, Alabama
StadiumPNC Field
(Capacity: 5,000)
NicknameBlazers
ColorsForest green and old gold[1]
   
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament appearances
1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Conference Tournament championships
GMC
1994
Conference USA
1999
Conference Regular Season championships
GMC
1994
Conference USA
1995, 1999, 2011

The UAB Blazers men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As of the upcoming 2022 season, the college soccer program competes in the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference (The American).

History

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UAB began a men's soccer program back in 1979. Throughout its history, UAB has enjoyed great success in the men's soccer program. The men's team has been in the NCAA Tournament a total of 7 times including 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances and 1 Elite Eight appearance in 1999. The men's team has been ranked nationally numerous times throughout its history, including top 25 rankings in 16 of the last 18 seasons. One of UAB's biggest wins in the men's team history came when UAB upset the #1-ranked UCLA Bruins in 1997 by a score of 2–0. UAB would upset another #1-ranked team in 2006 when they beat the SMU Mustangs by a score of 2–1.

UAB's most recent conference change was announced during the 2021–22 offseason, when it left Conference USA (C-USA) for The American. The decision of the Sun Belt Conference to reinstate its men's soccer league effective with the 2022 season dropped the C-USA men's soccer membership to four.[2] Of these four schools, three, including UAB, were scheduled to fully move from C-USA to The American in the near future, most likely in July 2023.[3] Accordingly, The American brought all four remaining C-USA men's soccer teams into its own soccer league.[4]

Stadium

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The men's team began to play to play its home games at UAB's PNC Field (originally BBVA Compass Field, later BBVA Field) in 2015. Prior to this, the Blazers played at their old venue, West Campus Field.[5]

Since 1993, the men's team has won nearly 80% of its games played at West Campus Field. UAB has frequently been among the national leaders in soccer attendance, finishing as high as 16th nationally in average attendance. The highest attended home soccer game in UAB history came in 2011 when 3,141 fans saw the Blazers defeat Clemson 2–1.

Fans

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Although many traditions, cheers, and chants take place at each home game, there is one that "stands above the rest," according to former head coach Mike Getman. Led by alumni super-fan Andrew Robillard, who has not missed a UAB men's home soccer match in 22 seasons, the whole student section sings "God Bless America" in unity. The Hillsborough Times has reported this tradition as one of its "12 College Sports Traditions you Don't Want to Miss."

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ University of Alabama at Birmingham Style Guide (PDF). March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  2. ^ "Sun Belt Conference Announces Return of Men's Soccer This Fall" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "American Athletic Conference Announces the Addition of Six Universities" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "American Announces Affiliate Members in Men's Soccer and Women's Swimming and Diving" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  5. ^ "$1.5 million BBVA Compass gift supports on-campus soccer facility at UAB".
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